Shiftable bottom plate and cheese carrier frame for bottomless suspended spinning cans



July 22, 1958- A. GARDELLA 2,343,996

' SHIFTABLE BOTTOM PLATE AND CHEESE CARRIER FRAME F OR "BOTTOMLESS SUSPENDED SPINNING CANS Filed Feb. 9. 1956 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/ I 4 I A July 22, 1958 A. GARDELLA 2,843,996

SHIFTABLE BOTTOM PLATE AND CHEESE CARRIER FRAME FOR BOTTOMLESS sgsgmgmo gg numc CANS Filed 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI July 22, 1958 SHIFTABLE BOTTOM PLATE AND CHEESE CARRIER FRAME A. GARDELLA 2,843,996

FOR BOTTOMLESS SUSPENDED SPINNING CANS 7 Filed Feb. 9. 1956 3 SheetsSheet 3 m a Y N: N m N) MIMUMUUMIIMM 0M MM MUM M G M INVENTOR United States Patent ice SHIFTABLE BOTTOM PLATE AND CHEESE CAR- RIER FRAlVIE FOR BOTTOMLESS SUSPENDED SPlllNINGCANS a Adriano Gardella, Genoa, Italy Application February 9, 1956, Serial No. 564,563

Claims priority, application Italy February 10, 1955 8 Claims. (Cl. 57-76) This invention relates to centrifugal spinning frames provided with bottomless suspended spinning cans, particularly for long and hard vegetable fibres such as flax, hemp, jute, sisal and the like.

In the known spinning frames of this kind, and particularly in those having large cans, such as employed for the spinning of hard and long bark and bast fibres, the open lower end of the suspended can is not supported, and the centrifugal spinning can, due to its high revolving speed (about 10,000 to 15,000 R. P. M.) is easily subjected to oscillations.

. The'invention aims to overcome this drawback, by providing the centrifugal can with a supporting bottom plate, which is rotatably mounted on a spring-supported part which is axially shiftable away and towards the centrifugal spinning can and is preferably also shiftable laterally away and towards said can.

The bottom plate is coupled to the centrifugal spinning can by meansof a friction coupling which comes to be engaged by a simple axial shifting of the bottom plate with respect to the can.

Before the beginning of the spinning operation, the bottom plate, which has been lowered, is shifted below the centrifugal spinning can, until it comes co-axially thereto, after which it is lifted and pushed against said can. In this 'manner the bottom plate comes to be coupled'to the centrifugal spinning can and, during the spinning, revolves therewith thus determining a supplementary lower bearing for the centrifugal can, which prevents oscillation of the can. At the end of the spinning operation, the bottom plate is shifted downwardly and is displaced laterally, awayfrom the 'centrifugal'can, thus freeing the bottom mouth thereof and permitting the free extraction of thethread cheese.

According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom plate is rotatably mountedon a frame which freely bears on the conventional swinging frame for the dis charge of the thread cheeses, laterally of the conventional cheese carriers, and may be lifted in the direction of the centrifugal spinning can by the same lifting means which serve for lifting the said cheese carriers. This renders it possible to lower and lift the supporting plates for the bottom plates and the cheese carriers by a single control movement, by using the same lifting board with which the spinning frame is already provided.

In the annexed drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of non-limiting example;

Figure 1 shows in elevation with parts in section a spinning frame according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows in longitudinal section a bottomless centrifugal spinning can with its rotatable supporting bottom plate; and

Figure 3 shows in section another embodiment of the bottom plate supporting means.

Referring now to the drawings, specifically to Figures 1 and 2, 1 indicates the supporting frame of the spinning 2,843,996 Patented July 22, 1958 -The said cheeses are discharged through the bottom opening of the centrifugal can onto a frame 7 fitted below the spinning unit and swinging about the horizontal axis 107. The swinging of the frame 7 is effected by operating a pinion 10 which meshes with a toothed sector 11 fitted on said frame.

On vthe frame 7 two adjoining supporting members or plate '8 and 9' are loosely mounted to be disposed horizontally beneath the'cans 2 and may be brought alternatively under the centrifugal cans 2 by suitably shifting said frame 7. When in this position, the plates 8, 9 may be lifted and lowered by a lifting board 13 provided with upright legs which may be shifted along fixedvertical rails 12. The plates 8 and 9 are retained on the lifting board 13 by means of projecting pegs 14 fastened for'example on the same lifting board and which may fit in corresponding holes 108, 109 of the plates 8 and 9, respectively. This same means may be used for retaining the plates 8 and 9 on the frame 7. On the plate 8 cheese carriers 15 are mounted in any conventional manner, onto which are discharged the formed thread cheese 22 when ejected from the centrifugal cans. After the swinging of the cheese carrying frame 8 in discharging position under the centrifugal spinning cans, the single cheese carriers 15 come to be positioned co-axially with the respective spinning cans 2.

The other plate 9 carries bottom plates 16 which are rotatably mounted on, spindles 116 and may be shifted each under a centrifugal can 2, co-axially thereto, by correspondingly shifting the supporting frame 7. In the top side of each bottom plate 16 a rubber or leather ring 20 is seated.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the spindles which carry the bottom plates 16 are rotatably mounted in bearings 17 and are supported by a vertical thrust bearing 19 supported by a slidable member urged upwardly by a spring 18.

Before the beginning of the spinning operation, the plate 9, carrying the bottom plates 16, is swung under the spinning unit and is lifted by means ofthe board 13 (Figure 2) until the bottom plates 16 bear under the edges 202 of the centrifugalcans 2, whereby the rubber rings 20 of each bottom plate 16 are pressed by action of the springs 18 against said can edges 202 thus establishing a friction coupling between the bottom plates 16 and centrifugal cans 2. Therefore, during the spinning, the bottom plates 16 on which the corresponding centrifugal cans 2 bear, revolve therewith and constitute an additional can-supporting means which contribute to steadying the spinning movement even at very high speeds.

When the spinning is ended, the lifting board 13 is lowered until the plate 9 bears on the frame 7. Then the supporting frame 7 is swung sidewise so as to bring under the spinning cans the cheese carriers 15 and the corresponding plate 8 is lifted until it comes under the cans and then the cheeses 22 are ejected and fall onto the carriers 15. Subsequently the plate 8, together withthe spinning frame, where the discharged cheeses may i be easily removed.

The lower edge 202 of each centrifugal can 2 is provided with indentations or the like 302 which, besides acting as coupling members, act as saw-like thread severing members, after the ejection of the cheese 22 from the centrifugal can 2. This severing of the thread is efiected by pushing the thread tail against said indentations 302 of the centrifugal can which continues to revolve by inertia.

Of course, other embodiments of the invention are possible, particularly as regards the friction coupling between the centrifugal can and the bottom plate, as well as the bottom plate-supporting means. Thus for example the edge of the centrifugal can may be beveled as shown at 4-02 (Figure 2), in which case the bottom plate 16 should be provided with a corresponding conical edge 216.

According to another embodiment shown in Figure 3 the bottom plate 16 is provided with a depressed annular edge portion on which a friction ring 120 is fastened as by screws, said ring 120 having a conical outer edge projecting beyond the periphery of the bottom plate and the spinning can being provided with a corresponding inner beveled edge.

In order to ensure a perfect support of the centrifugal can 2 on the corresponding bottom plate 16, also in the case almost unavoidable of small inclinations of the axis of rotation of the centrifugal can and of the bottom plate with respect to one another, or also in the case of a non-perfect parallelism between the contacting edge surfaces of the centrifugal can and of said bottom plate, the bottom plate 16 may be mounted for small angular shiftings. For this purpose, the pivot-spindle 40 of the bottom plate 16 is rotatably mounted freely on rolling bearings within a vertical sleeve 31 which is supported on a spring 33 and is slidable axially with respect to a co-axial sleeve 32 fastened to the supporting plate 9. The bottom plate 16 is provided with a depending hub 316 having a concentric sleeve 416 which is fitted on the top end of the spindle 40, a cylindrical resilient rub-- her sleeve or block 34 being inserted between said sleeve 416 and the hub 316. On the top of said spindle a cup 35 is fastened, at the centre of which a ball 36v is mounted so that when the hub 316 of the bottom plate is slid onthe spindle end, the ball 36 bears against the centre of the bottom plate 16.

By this arrangement, small angular shiftings of the bottom plate 16 are possible, due to its mounting on the central ball 36 and to the presence of the elastic rubber block 34.

It is apparent that the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been just described and shown, but it may be amply varied and modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, instead of being pivoted, the supporting frame 7 might be also horizontally shiftable.

I claim:

1. A centrifugal spinning frame comprising a bottomless suspended spinning can, a bottom plate under said can and having a friction surface thereon, a member rotatably supporting said bottom plate, said supporting member being axially shiftable away from and towards said can to engage said bottom plate friction surface with the edge of the can, and laterally shiftable supporting means for said supporting member so as to shift said bottom plate laterally away from and towards the axis of the can.

2. A spinning frame according to claim 1 in which the friction surface on said bottom plate comprises a friction ring of elastic material.

3..A spinning frame according to claim 1 in which said shiftable supporting means comprises a swinging frame, said supporting member being supported on said frame, and cheese carrier means on which the formed thread cheese is discharged from the spinning can and also freely supported on said frame, said frame being swingable to selectively dispose said bottom plate and cheese carrier means in axial alignment with said can, said reciprocating means being operative to reciprocate said cheese carrier means as well as said bottom plate supporting member when either is axially aligned with said can.

4. A spinning frame according to claim 1 in which the lower edge of the centrifugal can has a single lateral chamfered friction surface which may be engaged by a complementary surface on the 'edge of the bottom plate.

5. A spinning frame according to claim 1, in which the bottom plate is spring-supported in axial direction.

6. A spinning frame according to claim 1, in which the lower edge of the centrifugal-can is provided with indentations. I I

7. A spinning frame according-to claim 1 in which the bottom plate is mounted for small angular shiftings.

8. A centrifugal spinning can according toclaim 7, in which the bottom plateis supported by a centre ball mounted on a pivot spindle and is provided with a depending hub-like member surrounding the upper part of the said pivot spindle, a sleeve slidably mounted on said pivot spindle substantially concentric with said hub, and a cylindrical resilient rubber block inserted between the inside. of said hub and the outer sleeve surface.

ReferencesCited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

